Announced for several weeks, the arrivals of former international referee Alexander Ruiz and former All Black Bruce Reihana in the Montpellier staff have been confirmed by the Hérault club.
Philippe Saint-André has obtained the reinforcements he expected. Having regained a taste for the responsibilities of the position of sports manager of Montpellier during the second half of the season, the former coach of the XV of France decided to extend the experience but obtained a reinforced staff. If Olivier Azam for the forwards and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde for the three-quarters and the defense have been confirmed, two new names will well integrate the management of the MHR from next season. Former New Zealand full-back or international winger, Bruce Reihana will return to the Top 14 in the role of coach in charge of skills, individual technique and kicking. After managing the monitoring of players at Bordeaux-Bègles, Bruce Reihana joined Bristol in 2017 for a role equivalent to that which will be his in Montpellier. “I look forward to joining the MHR staff and working alongside the team,” the latter said in a statement. The French championship is very exciting and I can’t wait to take on this new challenge. »
The @MHR_officiel is pleased to welcome Alexandre RUIZ, former international referee and Bruce REIHANA, former New Zealand international player to its sports staff for the next 2⃣ seasons.
? https://t.co/v1drdKsGKN#TeamMHR ?⚪️ pic.twitter.com/XC3krcBQuo
– Montpellier Rugby (@MHR_officiel) June 25, 2021
Ruiz, from the whistle to the training grounds
The second recruit for the Cistes staff is someone who knows the lawns of the Top 14. Indeed, after ten years serving in the Top 14 but also at the highest international level, Alexandre Ruiz has decided to put away the whistle. Having already had the role of trainer within the amateur club of Cognac, the former referee will have as field of action the rucks, the attitudes in contact and the discipline under the orders of Philippe Saint-André. ” I am very happy and very excited to take up the challenge before me, said Alexandre Ruiz. I would like to thank the president Mohed Altrad as well as the sports manager Philippe Saint-André for their confidence. After more than ten years of high level arbitration, my challenge will be first of all to bring my technical experience as a trainer but also my expertise in a field that has animated me for 19 years. “With a reinforced staff, the MHR intends to capitalize on a successful second half of last season, with a victory in the Challenge Cup.
